The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-08-03
Prediction of Earthquakes.

To Rudolf Falb, of Vienna, belongs the
honor of predicting earthquakes. His
first SUCCESS was in 1873, when he foretold
the Belluno earthquake of June 20, which
shook almost all Northern Italy, and
resulted in the destruction of some 50
lives. Since then be has constantly
issued seismic predictions, some of which
have been fulfilled and some not. His
warning of the recent Riviera disaster
was conspicuous success, and has served
to give him reputation which it is the
lot of few modern prophets to enjoy.
Some days before the catastrophe he wrote
to the Austrian papers, pointing out that
according to his theory of which more
presently critical period would be
reached shortly after midnight on the
morning of February %, and true enough
almost at the hour stated, the first and
most destructive shock took place. 1t is
not necessary to dwell on the particulars
of the memorable event. Probably no
earthquake in history ever produced so
much nervous disturbance in proportion
to the actual damage done, and certainly
none can equal it in wealth of humorous
incident. As an example of a prophecy
unful6lled it is worth noting that Falb is
said to have also predicted that an earth.
quake would take place in the South of
England on March 81 no seismic distur.
bauce was felt on thatday, but an amusing
illustration of the inconvenience arising
from the previons ful6lment ofhis forecasts
was afforded by lady of our acquain-
tance, who, upon hearing of the predic.
ton of fresh earthquake for March 81,
dismantled her drawing room, and care.
fully packed up china and other orna.
ments in anticipation of the event. The
idea that the moon should have some
thing to do with the production of
earthquakes is very natural one. The
body whose attractive power raises the
ocean tides exercises its influence on the
dry land just as much as on the sea, and
the only reason why the land does not
respond to the attraction is because ofits
immobility. But a force so resisted
means internal strain, and we have every
reason to believe that, corresponding to
the tide of movement on the ocean, there
is tide of strain on the land. How may
this strain make itself apparent2 A
breath of autumn air brings down the
leaves that have withstood a summers
gales, swapping twig has loosened the
Alpine avalanche. The crust of our
earth is not solid. There are cavities and
assures in it's mass, frail places, where
only a touch, as it we're, may collapse;
and the series of changes so begun may
involve continent in ruin before it is
ended. And the tidal strain, as it passes
regularly round the globe, may one day
supply just the needed touch, thus becom-
ing an agent of destruction none the less
potent because it only plays the part
of trigger puller. The theory is plausi-
BILE, and to a certain extent the researches
of Prof. Percy bear it out. He found
that earthquakes are rather more frequent
when the tidal pull is stroDg-that is,
when the sun and moon are pulling in
line, lat new or full moon, and when the
moon is in the part of her orbit nearest
to the earth, (perigee.) The difference,
however, was only small, and as other
investigators haYe arrived at contradicto-
ry results, the lunar theory in this form
has not held its ground.